I Jumped Into a Frozen River in Russia 🥶🇷🇺

Video Description

This frozen river plunge shocked me — but in Russia it’s normal, and it's called Epiphany!🧊 👉 Want more? Join my Telegram community: https://t.me/BenTheBrit/167 🎥 Videos to Watch Next: Moving to RUSSIA from the WEST? The Truth About Living in Russia 🇷🇺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsQs_NzfPsI&list=PL23kSHNFbbFV47y-aSuxWFwGRTUwLSLgT&index=1&t=1719s Westerner Survives RUSSIAN VILLAGE Life | Babushkas, Barbecues & Bulls (2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOMWtZB8YgI&list=PL23kSHNFbbFVayAUhAULgZdVYRNuczYfn&index=1&t=55s&ab_channel=BentheBrit Westerner Visits Russia's UNKNOWN CITY of 1,000,000 People | First Impressions (2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dkCXTgipcA&list=PL23kSHNFbbFVayAUhAULgZdVYRNuczYfn&index=3&ab_channel=BentheBrit -------------------------------------------- If you want to see more videos like this one, give the video a LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to the channel! 👍 📲 Follow me for behind-the-scenes content: Telegram: https://t.me/BenTheBrit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benthebrit/ -------------------------------------------- In this video I take part in Russia’s Epiphany ice bathing tradition, plunging into a frozen river at a famous monastery in Svoboda, a settlement in Kursk Oblast. Every January, millions of Russians mark the Orthodox Epiphany by immersing themselves in icy water — a ritual that looks extreme to outsiders but is completely normal here. I travel to the Russian provinces to experience it for myself, exploring the faith, history, and winter culture behind the tradition. After losing a lot of weight, I don’t handle the cold as well as I used to, and even a cold-shower “training” attempt goes badly. From preparation to the plunge itself, this video shows what Epiphany bathing is really like in provincial Russia — without the filters. -------------------------------------------- Inquiries: [email protected] -------------------------------------------- The equipment I use for these videos (affiliate links) Primary Camera - https://amzn.to/3H7B4W3 Vlogging Camera - https://amzn.to/4mrZyrN My Favourite Lens - https://amzn.to/3ITI7Ci The music and sound effects in this video are from Epidemic Sound: https://share.epidemicsound.com/uhskrk -------------------------------------------- Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:22 - What is Epiphany? (Крещение) 01:10 - Why Will I Struggle? 01:35 - Am I Insane for Trying This? (yes) 02:01 - Practice Makes Perfect (Cold Shower) 03:37 - Russian Town Called "Freedom" (Свобода) 04:11 - Feline Friends 04:36 - Monastery Café 05:11 - Collecting Holy Water 05:38 - Contemplating the Plunge 06:06 - Complaining About the Weather 06:27 - The Big Night 07:25 - The Big Moment 08:47 - Reflections & Final Thoughts 10:49 - Goodbye!